Not Just Her Soul
by ElectricalStorm
Summary: D2000 sequel. Dreams of Dracula with a mysterious familiar woman, what can it all mean? Mary's attitude about Dracula will soon change when she discovers a surprising connection between herself and a stranger....
1. A New Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own Dracula2000 , or Gerard Butler (soon my friend, soon)

Note: This is my first fan fic. I'm very excited about it. Seeing as how I have never done fan fics before, please forgive me if there are a few mistakes here and there. Bear with me guys!

A brunette woman wearing a satin crimson dress slowly made her entry into the crowded lobby of the old mansion. "Lauren, you made it! Welcome to the party!" exclaimed Shelby Mannington.

"Yeah, well, I needed a break for a while. I figured I would just come here, meet some people, and have fun." Lauren replied.

Lauren Prescott, twenty-three years old, has had a pretty average life. She lived with her mother in Virginia until she graduated from high school and since then, has been attending Georgian State College in Georgia. Lauren aspires to be a journalist and has been held up in her dorm working on stories for her class. Lauren's friend Shelby, whose wealthy father owns a very large Victorian mansion, invited Lauren to one of her monthly parties. Lauren had never been to one before, partially because she never felt comfortable among the rich, and because she was always caught up in writing articles for the school's newspaper.

As Lauren made her way into the ballroom of the house, Shelby pointed to a group of people standing by a table, and said, "Come over here and mingle with some of the guests. There's this one guy I want you to meet. He's drop dead gorgeous; all of the girls here have been flirting with him and trying to catch his eye all night."

Lauren thought to herself, great, another conceited pretty boy. Shelby and Lauren made their way across the dance floor to a congregation of people chatting by the table. The women were dressed lavishly, wearing their designer outfits and Harry Winston diamonds. The men were just as classy with their clean-cut hair and Armani suits. When they approached them, Lauren's attention was instantly drawn to a very attractive man in a black suit. He had semi-long black hair full of curls and bright blue-green eyes. He had apparently noticed her looking at him because he stopped talking to the person he was in conversation with. Almost as if on cue, Shelby said, "Lauren, I want you to meet Drake Canter. I met him a few weeks ago at the café downtown. And Drake, this is Lauren Prescott, one of my best friends."

Drake took Lauren's hand, raised it to his lips, and with an all but inhuman touch, kissed it. Drake said, "Shelby said you were beautiful, but it's much more than beauty. I am very pleased to meet you, Lauren." The way he said Lauren's name sent shivers down her spine. She also noticed he had a slight European accent. Very sexy, she thought to herself.

"It's nice to meet you too, Drake." Lauren replied.

"Would you care to dance with me?" Drake asked.

"Sure," answered Lauren.

Drake took her hand and lead her to the middle of the ballroom. As the saucy Latin beats pounded through the speakers, Lauren and Drake danced. It was almost as if Drake was gliding upon the floor.

"You're quite the dancer." Lauren said.

"Dancing is like making love, once you start, you can't stop. The music guides you," replied Drake with a smile. It appeared that Lauren and Drake, were in fact, the good pair because a crowd had formed around them and were now watching them dance in awe. After what seemed like hours of dancing, Lauren interjected, "Let's sit down for a drink." They walked over to the bar and sat down on the velvet stools in front. Lauren requested a little white wine, and was surprised that Drake said he didn't want a drink.

"You know, it seems like all eyes are on us tonight," pronounced Lauren. She was indeed, correct, everyone was stealing glances at the two of them, and whispering to one another afterwards.

"They're all jealous...Lauren, do you like to be envied?" said Drake.

"Well, I guess. Who doesn't?" Lauren answered.

"So..." Drake said.

Lauren responded, "So what?"

Drake replied in a sensual voice, "So, let's make them really want to talk about us."

* * *

In London, Mary Van Helsing awoke, very startled. She had had a dream about him...Dracula. It was like the dream she used to have except this time, Mary wasn't the girl with Dracula. Instead, it was a girl who bared a striking resemblance to Mary. 


	2. Lauren's Rapture

Disclaimer: I don't own Dracula 2000 or Gerard Butler  
Note: Here's Chapter 2! Enjoy!

"Make them jealous? What do you mean?" , asked Lauren.

Drake stood up, held out his hand, and said, "Come, Lauren. I will show you." She didn't know why, but the tone in Drake's voice scared her. Nevertheless, Lauren thought to herself, what have I got to lose? With a look of curiosity, Lauren reluctantly put her hand in his, and followed him upstairs to the balcony that overlooked the entire ballroom.

"Why did we come up----," Lauren was interrupted as Drake passionately kissed her. Although she was surprised at the thought of kissing a complete stranger, it still thrilled her to be doing something so spontaneous. As they continued to kiss, Lauren felt like they were the only ones in the world. It could only be summed up in one word- ecstasy.

As the kiss ended and Lauren had pulled away, she noticed that the music downstairs had stopped. All the people were no longer speaking. Their only focus was on Drake and Lauren above them. One blonde woman wearing a blue strapless gown and pearls whispered to her friend, "Why does he want her when he can have any woman in this room?"

Her friend answered, "I don't know, but I talked to him earlier and he seemed very interested in me."

"In you? He said that I looked stunning!" , replied the blonde woman. It wasn't just the two women arguing, the whole room seemed to be tense now. Even the men were at odds with each other. One man saying, "Look at him, all the women can't stop talking about him. What's the big deal?"

When the kiss ended, Lauren suddenly became aware that they had an audience of scowling and surprised faces. Ignoring them, Lauren gazed into Drake's eyes. They're so exotic, no one has eyes that beautiful, Lauren thought to herself.

"Well," Lauren said, smiling bashfully.

"I have had a very good time tonight. And you can't imagine how really pleased I am to have met you. I must be going now, I have some...business I must attend to." said Drake.

Lauren asked, "But when will we see each other again?"

"Don't worry, I will find you." replied Drake. Someone shouted Lauren's name. Lauren looked downstairs to see an excited Shelby coming up the staircase. Lauren turned to say good-bye to Drake, but he was gone.

"Lauren! Everyone keeps talking about you and Drake. Are you guys 'hot and heavy' now or what? Hey, wait, where is Drake anyway?" jabbered Shelby enthusiastically.

Lauren answered, "No, we are not 'hot and heavy', we were just two people having a great time and being spontaneous. To answer your next question, Drake had to leave. He said he had business to attend to or something."

"Ohhh," said Shelby, "well, that's cool."

"Yeah. It's getting kind of late, so I'm just going to head on home. Awesome party." Lauren said.

"Thanks. See you around." replied Shelby.

As Lauren walked in the darkness back to her dorm, she couldn't get Drake, or the kiss out of her head. She had now realized that Drake seemed very familiar to her, like they had known each other before. When Lauren got back to her dorm, she was pretty much worn out from the party, so she went straight to bed. Thinking of the handsome stranger she had met that night, Lauren fell asleep instantly with a smile.

* * *

"Simon, I swear to you that it was him, Dracula, in my dream with someone who looked just like me." stuttered a frantic Mary Van Helsing.

Simon Shepard, handing Mary a fresh cup of coffee, said, "He can't be back, Mary. We've been keeping a close watch on him, you know that. Maybe it's just a nightmare. We did go through a lot a few years ago---"

Mary interrupted, "This was not just a nightmare. It was a vision. Before I woke up, he whispered something. It sounded like a name-Lauren." Mary, walking over to the window of her apartment, looked out at the city of London. Simon followed her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

After their ordeal with Dracula five years ago, Simon and Mary developed a relationship, and, were at one point, engaged. Shortly before the wedding was scheduled, Mary decided that she didn't want or need a commitment like that in her life right then, and Simon and Mary broke up for good. Even though Simon was deeply heartbroken, they had remained very good friends. He even had a steady girlfriend, Eliza, at the moment.

"What can this mean? If he is not after me, then who is the girl with him? It's impossible for there to be someone else like him. I haven't had a child, nor do I have any siblings." Mary said, very worried.

"I just don't know Mary, I just don't know." replied Simon.


	3. Matthew and Abraham

Disclaimer: I don't own Dracula 2000, but this story is my own.  
Note: This chapter explains the connection between Lauren and Mary.

'The Importance of Knowing a Subject's Background Before the Interview' "There's no way I can get this done." groaned Lauren. A week had passed since she met Drake Canter. She just could not get him out of her head. The way his beautiful eyes seemed to gaze into her soul, his odor of sweet spice still clinging to her dress, and most of all, the sexy tongue roll in his kiss. Yet, there was one question that lingered in Lauren's mind-when (if ever) were they going to see each other again?

"Oh my gosh, this is silly. I really need to finish this damn essay." , Lauren sighed. Just as Lauren had flopped down on her bed, and started typing on her laptop, someone knocked at the door. Lauren lazily rose from the bed, shuffled towards the door, and opened it.

"Told you I would find you." Lauren's face immediately lit up.

"Drake, I wasn't expecting you!",Lauren said, her voice clearly full of delight.

With a slight smile, Drake sensually replied, motioning towards the open door, "I can leave if you want me to..."

Lauren quickly responded, "No, no, I didn't say that. Please come in." Drake entered the dorm. Lauren glanced down at the clothes she was wearing- a black camisole top, and a pair of very short black shorts. Both items of clothing revealed lots of skin. I might as well have answered the door naked, Lauren thought to herself. "I'm going to go change into something more appropriate. Make yourself at home." said Lauren, walking to her bedroom.

"Home." , repeated Drake with a whisper.

Drake surveyed the room. Like any typical college student, Lauren's room consisted of simply a bed, a desk, a small couch, and a television. Her tan walls were adorned with a Nirvana poster and several pictures of Lauren with her friends. Drake's attention was particularly drawn to a photo of Lauren and what appeared to be her mother. He slowly ran his fingers over Lauren's smiling face in the picture.

"That's me and my Mom." , Lauren said, standing in the doorway. She had changed into a green tank top, blue jean capri pants, and had taken her long brown hair down from the ponytail it was in.

"Yes." , Drake replied, with a certainty like he already knew. "No pictures of your father?" , asked Drake.

Lauren's smile lessened as she answered, "I never knew my father. I don't even think he knew about me. From what I could get out of my Mom, bless her heart, she had had an affair with a prominent business man from England who stayed at the inn my grandparents owned. The only thing I know about him is his name on my birth certificate, Matthew Van Helsing. Like the name from Bram Stoker's book. I used to have plans of finding my father, but my mother said he was a crude, cruel man who would surely deny the affair with her, and foremost, deny having a daughter with her. From the moment she told me this, I haven't wanted anything to do with my father."

Drake walked up to Lauren, looked deeply into her eyes, and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't upset me, don't worry." , replied Lauren, gently touching Drake's arm.

Drake's eyes burned into her own as he spoke, "How about we go for a swim? I know of a lovely secluded place at the lake we can go to."

"Sure, I would like that. I've never been one to venture far out into the water, though. I have a fear of high water." , answered Lauren.

Drake laughed and said, "Very well then. It's only a short walk from here. And Lauren, I wouldn't let you drown."

* * *

Ever since Mary had the vision about Dracula and the woman, she had been having a recurring dream every night. Mary's father Abraham Van Helsing was in the dream, dressed all in white. He kept saying, "Mary, I have something to tell you. You have---". His voice was always silenced by the sound of a baby crying, followed by a child's laughter. Then Mary would wake up. Just having had the dream for the fourth time, Mary sat up in her bed, and rubbed her head. "What are you trying to tell me, father?" , Mary yelled aloud, frustrated. 


	4. Falling In Love

Disclaimer: I don't own D2000, I just like to play with the characters :)  
Note: Alrighty, here is chapter 4. This chapter has been my favorite to write so far. I just love portraying Dracula in a loving way!

"Come out farther with me, the water's not that deep." , Drake said, his black locks of hair dripping. Lauren grasped Drake's hand as he led her out into the emerald green lake. The sun had completely set, replaced by the bright luminescence of the moon.

"You were right. The serenity and peacefulness here is wonderful." spoke Lauren, softly. Suddenly, Lauren found herself in a romantic embrace, Drake's muscular arms wrapped around her, his hands stroking her hair. The beauty of the connection between them made Lauren want to cry. As the embrace slowly broke away, Lauren blurted out, "I know this is sudden, but I think I'm falling in love with you." After saying it, Lauren thought to herself, Why did I do that! Now he's going to run away!

But Drake didn't run away. Instead, there he stood, in the lake, his fingers reaching to caress Lauren's lips. "I feel the same way." , said Drake tenderly, before cupping Lauren's chin and bringing her towards him.

Their mouths met in a gentle kiss. Then, Drake, running his hands through her brown tresses of hair, hungrily kissed her, his tongue intertwined with hers. Drake broke the kiss, gave a devious smile, and dove underwater. Lauren stood there, ravishing the loving moment she had just shared with Drake. A pair of powerful arms enclosed Lauren from behind, startling her. Drake had apparently come up from the water very quietly. Lauren could feel his breath on her neck. Drake's soft lips started kissing the smooth skin of Lauren's neck. Drake untied the bow of her bathing suit top around her neck. Just when he started to undo the clasp of her top around the back, Lauren held her top to her chest. Half embarrassed, she said, "Drake, there's something you probably need to know. I've never done this before."

Drake stopped, perplexed. "I just never found the right person. I wanted to wait until I was truly in love. But I'm not saying I don't want to.", Lauren added quickly. Drake turned to face her, the wheels of his mind definitely churning. Behind him, the moon shone large and bright.

Drake's eyes met Lauren's as he smiled, and said, "Then now isn't the time for us, love." Lauren smiled back at him, and raised up to plant a small kiss on his lips. Drake kissed her back, then kissed her forehead. Without any warning, Drake's eyes became wide with alarm as he appeared to look off at something in the distance. "What is it, Drake?" , Lauren replied, with concern.

"Nothing, nothing. I...I must go now." murmured Drake, his eyes trailing something behind Lauren's back. Lauren spun around to see what it was, but saw nothing except the forest on shore, and the moonlit lake. Lauren turned back around to face Drake, but he was gone.

* * *

After having the dream of her father, Mary got up to get a drink of water, then decided to just go back to bed. Maybe she wouldn't have the dream twice in one night. Mary fell fast asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She hadn't been asleep for very long when she abruptly awoke, standing in the middle of some lake. The odd thing was, she wasn't wet. I'm actually walking on water, Mary thought.

Mary was drawn to a man and woman wading in the water. They were kissing. "Dracula.", Mary silently said. Dracula's eyes became wide, pupils changing red with fury as he spotted Mary.

The woman (Lauren, Mary had guessed) said, "What is it, Drake?", her voice clearly filled with worry. Dracula's eyes followed Mary as she walked across the water. He mumbled something to the woman, then disappeared. Mary blinked and found herself laying in her bed, in exactly the same position she was in when she fell asleep.


	5. Unveiled At Last

Disclaimer: I don't own D2000, I just like playing with the characters  
Note: This chapter was especially hard for me, because I don't know much about religion and whatnot, so I got help from internet websites, and from the movie itself. Hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm not sure when I will be updating, it may be awhile.

There in the cold vault, rested the antique silver coffin, untouched. "Mary, it's exactly the way we left it." , reported Simon. Mary walked over to the coffin, hands trembling. Hesitantly, she turned the frigid cross on the top. The lid burst open with a hiss, mist billowing out. Mary waved the mist away and peered down into the coffin. His ashes were supposed to be scattered about the coffin, but (not to Mary's surprise), they were not.

"I knew it. I don't know how, but he's been let loose." , said Mary.

Simon, staring down at the empty coffin, replied, "Then maybe your visions are real. And judging by your dream, your father is a part of it all, somehow. That's not to mention the woman with Dracula who looks like you."

Mary suddenly remembered something, "She called him Drake. The woman, Lauren, called him Drake."

"Great, another enigma we have to figure out." , Simon responded, sarcastically. Simon took Mary's hand in his, looked at her sympathetically, and said, "You know, Mary, maybe we should just leave this alone. Dracula's not after you. He's not our problem now."

Mary, both appalled and infuriated, jerked her hand away angrily. "My father kept us safe from this evil for over a century. I will not let all of his work be in vain all because 'he's not my problem now'. As long as I have visions and dreams about him, then he is my problem. It is my destiny to protect the world from Dracula." , snapped Mary, storming out of the vault. Simon was left standing beside the coffin, mouth agape.

* * *

Curtains drawn, Lauren lay in her bed, face down in her lime green cotton sheets. "Are you going to be all right?" , asked a concerned Shelby Mannington.

"No." , mumbled Lauren, voice muffled by a pillow. Lauren sat up, rubbing her eyes. They were puffy and red from crying. "It was a mistake, telling him I was falling in love with him. I knew the minute I said it. He got scared off and he's probably not coming back." , said Lauren, eyes filling up with tears. Shelby walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, and gave Lauren a hug.

"Look, I don't know what the deal was last night, but I know Drake is interested in you. Whenever I would mention your name to him before you met, he acted all curious. At the party, when you guys were dancing, I was even a little jealous of how well you two clicked. And besides, if he was freaked out or something, he wouldn't have said he felt the same way about you." , Shelby replied, flashing Lauren an encouraging smile.

Lauren returned the smile, dabbing her eyes with a tissue, "Yeah, I guess you're right. It's just that I found this wonderful, handsome guy who treats me like I am the most important thing in the world, and I don't want to lose him."

"I know. Just don't worry about it. He found you once, he'll find you again. I'll bet he has a good explanation for his quick departure. Now, you had better get ready. You have class in like, ten minutes!" said Shelby, exiting Lauren's room.

* * *

After leaving Simon in the crypt with Dracula's coffin, Mary had went back to her apartment. The lake from her vision kept popping into her head. Even though it was dark when she saw it, the lake still came off as being quite familiar to her. A photo album lay on the coffee table, Mary's attention was suddenly drawn to. She picked it up. The first picture was one of her and her mother at their house in Canada. Oh, Mother, you tried to protect me from the evil when you found out, but you had no idea what was in store for me, thought Mary. Mary turned the page. Lucy Westerman's grinning face beamed up at her. Mary felt a pang of sadness...her and Lucy were best friends. But Dracula had to take that away.

On the next page were a variety of photos taken of Mary and Lucy on a trip to a lake. Mary smiled, looking at the pictures. She remembered how much fun they had on that trip. They had rented a canoe, and Lucy thought she saw a snake in the water, making her fall out of the boat. The lake! Mary had just realized that it looked like the exact same lake from her vision! "Now I know where I've seen that lake before." , said Mary aloud, trying to think of her next move. She took one of the pictures out of the album and flipped it over. It said: Lake Kiwana, Terry, Georgia, October, 1999

Mary shoved the picture in her purse that was sitting beside the couch. Then she ran to her room to begin packing.

* * *

Lauren had just gotten out of class when she started walking down the dark alleyway that led to her dorm. She felt better about everything that had happened with Drake after talking with Shelby. I hate this alley, it's so creepy, Lauren thought. Suddenly, she was pushed up against the brick wall of the alleyway. It was clearly a man, the arms being too powerful to be a woman. Lauren started to scream, opening her mouth, but before she could, his mouth was on hers, kissing her. His tongue slipped into her mouth, lustfully devouring her kiss. The odor of sweet spice wafted through the air. Lauren immediately knew it was Drake.

He stepped back, the streetlamp illuminating his face. "Lauren, come with me. We have much to discuss." , Drake said, holding out his hand.

"Let me go put my stuff in my dorm, then we can talk," Lauren said, sensing what he had to say was important. They walked, hand in hand, back to her dorm. Lauren had put her books and folders in her room, when she came out, Drake was standing in front of the vintage mirror hanging above her couch. He had no reflection.

Lauren's eyes became wide, her mouth open in horror, as she raised her hand to cover it. Drake turned around and looked at the mirror, noticing Lauren had saw (or rather didn't see) his absent reflection. Lauren was slowly backing towards the wall, not being able to believe what she had witnessed. Drake advanced towards her, "Lauren, I hope you will understand what I am about to tell you. Please don't judge me. We need to go somewhere more private, perhaps by the lake." , his eyes full of sadness. Even though Lauren's common sense was telling her to run away, she wanted to know what was going on.

* * *

"Peanuts?" , asked the burly red-haired stewardess.

"What? Oh, uh no, no thanks." , replied Mary, dazed. Her mind was set on finding Lauren and warning her, and also discovering what connection Mary had to Lauren.

"Folks, we are about to arrive in New Orleans, Louisiana, the home of Mardi Gras. Please fasten your seatbelts, and we thank you for using British Airways. Have a safe, and wonderful time." , said the voice on the PA system.

It's not far to Terry from here, about 5 hours, thought Mary. As soon as the plane landed, Mary hurriedly got up, and left the plane. She didn't even notice that Simon was following her the entire time, just as he did with Abraham Van Helsing five years ago.

* * *

When they reached the lake, Lauren and Drake sat down on some large stones on the shore. "You're wondering what's happening, if you've lost your mind. I assure you, you have not. Just remember as I am talking, I am not the evil person the world believes me to be." , said Drake, softly.

Lauren nodded her head in agreement. Drake began, "I was led to this damnation thousands of years ago. My brother, I loved Him so. Yet, He needed me. If not for I, He would not have died for the sins of men to come. I died for Him, He who was always so forgiving. I was made into what I am today because of Him."

Lauren wasn't understanding any of it, "Drake, I don't know what you're saying, you're talking crazy."

Drake looked into Lauren's eyes and said "Let me show you", he placed his hands on Lauren's head. Lauren cried out, as she was seeing The Last Supper, and Jesus Christ himself. But there was Drake also, bending down to kiss Jesus. Suddenly, there was the cross, Jesus nailed to it, Drake at the base, crying. Lauren saw Drake walking up the hill to a tree with a rope. Drake hanged himself. The vision seemed so real to Lauren now, she wanted to help Drake.

A woman in a red dress was slowing climbing the hill. Lauren was surprised to see that the woman resembled Lauren, herself. Then, Drake's eyes flashed open, the rope broke. He grabbed hold of the woman's arm, saying "Mary, Mary."

The woman was screaming "Get away from me!" and thrashing around wildly.

He kept saying, "My Mary."

Drake's hands let go of Lauren's head. Lauren opened her eyes, whispering, "You're Judas Iscariot."

Drake said, taking Lauren's hand, "Now I am known as Dracula. Lauren, I love you. We could be together forever. I have never felt this way before, not even about Mary."

"Could have fooled me. Get away from her.", entered Mary Van Helsing, holding a large sword.


	6. Not Just Her Soul

"Ahh, Mary to the rescue. I feel a spell of déjà vu. You truly are the spawn of Abraham Van Helsing, " said Dracula, eyes flaring red, a sly smile upon his face. He looked back at Lauren, "Or should I say Matthew Van Helsing?"

Lauren, perplexed, stuttered, "But...my father--".

"My God, then that means we're...", Mary gasped.

"Sisters.", purred Dracula, amused.

Mary, pointing the sword towards Dracula, ordered, "Lauren, get away from him. Come with me."

"Don't listen to her. She's jealous of you. She doesn't know what she is talking about." , Dracula interjected. Half of her mind was telling her to stay, but Lauren went with the remaining part that said 'run now'. She took off running through the pitch- black forest.

"How dare you! You think you can just take her soul that easy without me fighting you?" , yelled Mary, eyes flashing angrily.

Dracula advanced slowly until he was right in front of Mary, and said, "Not just her soul, Mary. I don't want only her soul. I want her love as well. Just as she wants mine in return."

* * *

Out of breath, Lauren fumbled around in her purse for her key to the dorm. She felt the jagged edge of the key, took it out, and shoved it in the lock. She opened the door to find Shelby Mannington standing in the middle of her living room. Shelby had apparently changed clothes from wearing jeans and a sweater, to a black, cleavage revealing dress. Lauren, asked, both surprised and frantic, "Shelby, what are you doing here?"

Shelby smiled seductively, and replied, "I had...the most wonderful time this evening while you were in class."

"What are you talking about? Listen, we have to get out of here." Lauren said, motioning towards the door.

Shelby, ignoring Lauren's plea to leave, ran her fingers down her hair, trailing them all the way down to her bosom and responded, "I had the pleasure of seeing your boyfriend, and, well, we did something a bit naughty." Shelby laughed, her voice deep and breathy. Lauren, scared, saw the puncture wound on Shelby's neck.

"What did you do?", asked Lauren, cautiously.

"I don't know what he sees in you, really. The way he looked into my eyes, his lips on my skin, his hands on every part of my body. His touch was so...inhuman. I feel so hungry now." responded Shelby, revealing her fangs.

Lauren backed into the corner of the room, Shelby following her. Lauren had no idea what to do. She was paralyzed with fear. Suddenly, the door flew open, Simon Shepard stood there, machete in hand. "Eat this, bitch!" Simon screamed, throwing the sharp knife.

It zipped through the air twirling, neatly slicing through Shelby's neck. Shelby's head landed at Lauren's feet, it's face twisted in an array of horror. Simon ran over to Lauren, "Are you ok?"

Lauren grabbing hold of the couch to maintain her balance, answered, "Yeah, I'm fine. Wait, who are you?"

"My name is Simon Shepard. I'm with Mary. She's still with Dracula, I saw her, but I knew you were unarmed, so I followed you in case you needed help. But Mary can only handle him for so long, so I'm going to go help her. You stay here.", responded Simon. Lauren nodded, tears falling down her face. As soon as Simon left, she sat down on the couch and began to sob.

* * *

Dracula's eyes narrowed as he said, "You underestimated me yet again, Mary. Even though you tried to conquer me, my soul was kept alive in the ashes. At the time I didn't know why I still lingered on, but then I saw her. Her beautiful face. She and I were so much more alike than you and I ever were. I couldn't figure out why I never noticed her before. I was blinded by my determination for you. I knew I had to have her. How did I escape, you wonder. Perhaps you shouldn't trust your custodial staff so easily. I appeared to the worthless slug in his mind, and offered him anything he wanted in exchange for setting me free. He, being the fool he was, believed me and I was released. Now, I didn't want to scare poor Lauren, or alert you that I had returned. I already loved her. I just had to make her fall in love with me. And she has. It was so simple. I just had to pose as a mortal, taking the name Drake Canter from one of my victims. Sounds so much like my own name. I talked to her friends, found out everything I could about her," Dracula paused, then continued, very seriously, "We shall be together and no one will stop us. Not even the great Mary Van Helsing. I will have my vengeance on you, just as I did with your father."

Mary spat, "You don't know what love is. You and your lust make me sick!"

Dracula, caressing Mary's jaw, gently replied, "Come now, you really don't believe that do you? I predict if not for the likes of one, Simon Shepard, we would be together right now. It's not too late for us, Mary. I am willing to forgive you. You, I, and Lauren could all be happy together. All you have to do is put down the sword."

"Mary! He's trying to get to you again! Don't give in!", yelled Simon, fleeting to Mary's side.

Mary turned, and stared at Simon, then scolded, voice full of agitation and anger, "What are you doing here? I didn't tell you I was coming here for a reason! I can handle it without you!"

Simon put his hand on Mary's shoulder, and calmly said, "I'm here to help you. Dracula is very powerful, as you already know. Lauren's all right, I watched the whole scene, then followed her back. I came straight here as soon as I knew she was ok."

After her body being all tensed up, Mary relaxed, and sighed a breath of relief, "Well, I guess it's not so bad you came," Mary's eyes suddenly became wide as she said, frenzied, "Dracula's gone!" Simon started looking around in the trees, and in the lake. No sign of him. God help Lauren, thought Mary.

* * *

Lauren, still seated on the couch with her head in her hands, couldn't stop thinking about Dracula. She knew who he was. What he was. Yet, she still wanted him. Will he come back for me, thought Lauren. Lauren was also puzzled by the fact that she had a sister, something she had always longed for since she was a child. A subtle knock came at the door. "Dracula probably wouldn't knock, I bet it's Simon or Mary checking on me." , she said out loud. She slowly walked to the door, and swung it open. There was nothing there, but the somber night, and the howling wind. Lauren's fear was mounting.

"Lauren, why are you running from me?", asked a sultry voice behind her.

Lauren whirled around, the door slamming by itself. Lauren, confused, but irate, responded, "You are not who I thought you were."

"You still love me, nonetheless." Dracula replied. Lauren stood there, frozen, silent. Dracula moved like a panther, now behind Lauren. She could feel his breath.

He whispered bewitchingly in her ear, "You can't deny the incredible electricity between us." His hand stroking her hair, moving it behind her ear. Dracula moaned, as he ran his hand down her arm, "When I brush up against your skin, it makes you shiver." Lauren exhaled slowly, yearning for him.

He continued to murmur in a low whisper, "That night in the lake, I wanted you so much. To feel you from the inside. When we make love, our souls will be bound, for then, you will be reborn, and we shall spend all eternity in the arms of one another." His voice became erotic and sensual as he said, "Mmm, you are a virgin. I can show you what real ecstasy is. Do not be afraid."

Lauren, responded defiantly, "I am not afraid." It was true, Lauren no longer felt fearful of him or like she should run away.

"Lauren, say the word, and we'll be together forever. Do you love me?" , he asked.

Lauren turned around, seeing his eyes gaze into her own. This was no monster standing in front of her. It was a man who wanted love, who needed love. She had made up her mind what she wanted to do. Lauren, in a fit of passion, grabbed his face, and pressed her lips to his. She let his tongue enter her mouth, the kiss deepening. He picked her up, cradling her in his arms, his lips enveloping hers. Lauren felt a sharp breeze and suddenly they were in another room. Their lips parted as he put her down on the ground. She looked around the room.

It appeared to be a stone room of a castle. In the middle, sat a red silk canopy bed. The curtains flew in the breeze blowing from the opened windows. The only light was from the moon shining high and bright. Lauren looked down at herself, she was now wearing a black corset nightie. She noticed Dracula, shirtless, baring his perfectly sculpted muscular chest. Then, Dracula was instantly on her, his lips devouring hers. They were now on the bed, the silk sheets rubbing against their skin. Dracula's lips moved from her mouth down to her neck, while his hands caressed her thighs. He licked the skin of her neck, imagining how good she was going to taste. His mouth came to her breasts, contained in the lacy material. "No, this will not do." he said, lustfully.

He moved his hand behind her, untying the strings. Then, she was free, her body nude. Dracula tossed the nightie on the floor. He looked at her body for a moment. The epiphany of beauty. He went back to kissing her neck, his hands exploring, fondling her breasts. His tongue came, yet again to them. He looked back at her, mischievously, then began kissing and suckling her nipples. Lauren moaned, running her hands through his soft black hair. After feasting upon her breasts, his lips came to her stomach, his tongue circling around her navel.

Lauren couldn't stand it anymore, she wanted him right then. She unbuckled his belt, him helping her unleash himself. With one quick motion, his silk boxers were off. Lauren glanced down at his manliness. Perfect, just the way she knew he would be. She began to massage him, and for once, Dracula let another completely control him. As Lauren explored, he could only moan and let her have her way with him. Finally he could not take it anymore, the fire within his soul was raging-he needed her now. Dracula looked back at her, planted a soft kiss on her lips, then he entered her. Lauren cried out in pain, but it was replaced shortly with pure rapture. It felt so good to her, she didn't want it to end. He pulled out and, was inside her again. He couldn't believe that he and Lauren were actually making love! This was what he had been waiting for. He pulled himself out of her, gasped for air, then laid down on the silk pillows. Lauren still wanted more. She climbed on top of him, she began to kiss his chest, then raised up to kiss his mouth. He smiled indulgently at her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and returning her kiss.

He whispered to her, "It is time, my love." She sat up, staring at him, covering herself with the sheet. Lauren pushed her hair away from her neck, freeing it for his hungry mouth. Lauren was scared of what was going to happen afterwards, but she was more curious than afraid.

"Relax." Dracula said, baring his fangs. He grabbed hold of her arms, and sank his razor-sharp teeth into her neck. Lauren cried out in agony, but the pain soon went away as the warm feeling of intoxication consumed her. Please don't stop, Lauren thought. He released her finally, licking his lips. "Now it is your turn." he said, exposing his neck. She raised up, bringing her lips to his skin. She bit him ever so slightly, not wanting to cause him any pain. He moaned as her tongue began licking the bittersweet blood. She became excited at the stimulating taste of it, sinking her teeth deeper into his flesh. She drank for what seemed like forever, until he pulled her away. Her lips were ruby red with blood. He seized her, kissing her very passionately, savoring his own blood on her lips. Breaking the kiss, he gently laid her down upon the silken pillows.

Smiling, he said, "Just think, we can make love like this every night forever." Lauren returned the smile, whispering, "Mmm, hopefully getting better each time. I love you so much." "I love you, too." , he replied, laying down. Dracula held her as she began falling asleep. My elegant angel, he thought, drifting off into the realm of unconscious sleep.


	7. Coming to Terms

Well, after taking a very long break (I last updated in July), I am back and writing again. And determined to finish up my story. Thanks for being patient everyone! And yes, I still do not own any of the characters except for Lauren.

The sun was setting behind the everlasting mountains surrounding the aged castle. Lauren opened her eyes. "You are awake. Welcome to the first night of your immortality." Dracula said, standing at the window. Lauren still dazed, got up and walked to Dracula.

"So...what now?" Lauren asked softly.

Dracula tracing his fingers along her jawline with the slightest touch, answered "What ever you wish, my darling."

Lauren shuddered as his lips met hers. I could really get used to waking up to this, Lauren thought. Suddenly, there was a very loud creaking coming from somewhere in the castle. Then there were voices talking.

"Mary." Dracula said, surprisingly calm. Lauren searched Dracula's countenance for any sign of permission to meet Mary.

"Go to her, Lauren. I will be waiting for you." Dracula said. Lauren hurriedly put on the red robe lying on the old chair beside the bed. Dracula continued to stare out the window.

* * *

Approaching the staircase, Simon and Mary spotted Lauren coming down the stairs. When Lauren reached the ground, Mary hugged her and said frantically, "Lauren, are you alright? Come with us, we need to get you out of here!"

"Mary, I am fine. You and Simon don't have to worry about me.", replied Lauren smiling.

"You don't understand, we have to leave now before he makes you like him." , Mary said.

"You are too late, Mary," came a voice descending down the staircase. "Lauren is mine. No other will touch her." It was Dracula. He, too, was wearing a robe, except his was black.

"Stay away you bastard!" screamed Simon Shepard, pointing the sword at Dracula. Quick as a fox, Lauren grabbed the sword. She ran her fingers down the sharp blade, staring at it with an amused expression. Then, she handed it back to Mary.

"That will be enough." , said Lauren. Dracula was now standing behind Lauren. He moved her hair away from her neck, exposing a tiny puncture wound, and started kissing it.

While Dracula was still kissing her, Lauren said, "Look, Mary, Simon...I am happy. He did not force this upon me. I wanted it."

Mary, taking Lauren's hand, said, "Can we please talk alone? We need to talk about this."

Lauren nodded, then turned to face Dracula. "Give us some time alone. I will join you later. And please, do not harm Simon."

"Anything you want." replied Dracula, giving Lauren a small peck on the lips.

* * *

Lauren led Mary outside to a balcony overlooking a beautiful garden. "Mary, I know you can't understand why I chose this, but I really need you to." Lauren said.

"He is evil, Lauren. He kills for the pure pleasure, the blood-lust. Our father is dead because of him. I will not let my only living relative be taken by him." Mary answered, eyes filled with seriousness.

Lauren, lovingly touching Mary's arm, replied, "I love him. I have never felt this way about anyone. He's not what you think him to be which is some sort of Satan. Imagine how hard it would be to live centuries all alone. Everyone you would ever come to love would die. Sure, he's had many lovers, but never a soul mate. He's been in search of a true companion for so long. He thought you were it, until you betrayed him, and proved that you were not. I have awakened my beauty, my Judas...Dracula. And now we are free to be together forever. Please, do not interfere with this, Mary. The best thing for you and Simon to do is leave here and never return." After having said that, Lauren turned and went back inside, leaving Mary alone.

For the first time, Mary understood. She saw how Lauren's eyes were filled with both love and sadness as she talked about Dracula. How lonely it must have been for Dracula, she thought. Then, she remembered his words from the previous night, "Not just her soul, Mary. I don't want only her soul. I want her love as well. Just as she wants mine in return."

They really love each other, she thought. Nonetheless, Mary still knew that it was wrong.

"Can I really forget about the past and just leave?", she asked aloud. Dead silence followed her question as she stared out at the night sky.


	8. Paranoia and The Dream

"There's nothing else we can do. We tried. She wants to be with him." Simon said, hands on Mary's shoulders staring into her eyes.

"I know, I know. I just have a feeling that something isn't quite settled." Mary responded.

"I'll tell you what. We'll stay in the little village down from the castle for a few days and see if there's any sign of Lauren being in trouble. If nothing happens after a week or so that we're here, we'll leave." , said Simon.

After thinking it over for a moment, Mary answered, "Ok, we'll stick with that plan. I just hope that I'm wrong and nothing bad happens." Simon nodded his head and hugged Mary.

This loving embrace reminded him of the hell they went through last time Dracula returned. It also reminded him of how in love he used to be with Mary. Oh well, thought Simon, I have Eliza now, nothing can change that.

* * *

Lauren's lips met his with the slightest touch. He reciprocated by pulling her body closer to him, deepening the kiss. As they pulled away, Lauren placed a hand on Dracula's cheek and said, "Thank you for not hurting Simon and Mary."

Dracula moved her hand with his own to his mouth and kissed it. "Your wish is my command. You have made the ultimate sacrifice to be mine and I will do anything for you. I am your slave, all I ask is that you love me." , Dracula said.

He paused before saying, "But, I still do not trust them. Him, I do not care about, he is weak. Mary, on the other hand, is strong, and does not understand the powers she possess, the powers I bestowed to her so long ago."

Lauren responded with concern, "What is to be gained from killing Mary, tell me that."

Noting the seriousness in her voice, Dracula looked straight into her eyes and said, "Mary could ruin us in an instant. Although she does not know it, she holds my future, our future in her hands. If she obeys your wishes to leave us alone, then we have nothing to fear." Lauren's eyes were filled with tears as she stared into the glowing flames in the fireplace.

"Do not cry, my love. All will be taken care of in time." ,Dracula said before kissing her passionately. Lauren's tears were soon replaced by moans as he removed her robe to expose her nude body. Her hands ripped off his robe in response as she explored his manhood with her hands. His body was illuminated by the light of the fire, and his eyes shone with lust. As they made love, Lauren laid there, thinking, Wow, it really does get better each time.

* * *

A nice warm bath is what I need right now, thought Mary. Mary and Simon had just arrived at the little cottage they were renting. The sun had not risen that day, for the rain and thunder had taken over the lonely village. Mary looked about her bedroom. Her bed was large and made of dark mahogany wood. On top of it sat an emerald quilt and gray silken pillows. In front of the bed sat an elaborate matching dresser with a large oval mirror adorned in gold. It reminded her of medieval castles and such.

Mary walked from her bedroom to the adjoining bathroom. This was the room she liked the best in the house. It had a marble sink, an old-fashioned toilet with the rope to pull to flush it, and a marble bathtub in the middle. The bathroom had a magnificent view of the castle. This made Mary think of Lauren. She almost wished that she had not listened to Lauren and just got her out of the castle, away from Dracula.

"Just don't think about it, Mary. Relax.", Mary said aloud to herself.

She slipped off her clothes and into the bathtub. The hot water instantly relieved the tension in her body. Mary stared into the distance at the looming castle before placing a washcloth over her eyes and sinking down into the water. She couldn't have been in there for more than ten minutes before she fell asleep. It wasn't long before she began to dream...

"Simon, what are you doing!" , Mary asked. She was still in the bathtub. Simon had walked in and removed the washcloth from her face. Simon looked her body up and down with a coy smile on his face.

His eyes still lingering on her exposed breasts, he said, "Mary, I know you still love me. All those years we dated and you never made love to me. Well, I thought right now would be perfect to make up for lost times."

Mary was scared. She didn't know what to do or say. This just wasn't like Simon. Mary screamed "No!" several times, but Simon had already lifted her out of the bathtub and tied her hands around her back with rope. He lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom and threw her on the bed. Mary began to cry, still screaming as Simon's hands were all over her body, groping, feeling between her legs with his fingers.

"Oh yeah, baby. You want it rough, don't you?" Simon said, panting. Just as he was about to enter her, Mary woke up. Nothing had happened. She was still in the bathtub. She flung the washcloth from her face and got out.

Just a dream, she told herself. After putting on her Virgin Records T-shirt and sweatpants, Mary went to go see what Simon was up to. She walked into his bedroom and saw his bathroom light on and figured he must be in there. Mary was about to leave, but she saw something that made her cringe. On his bed lay a rope...the same rope he had used to tie her up with in the dream.


	9. A Visit to London

"There you are Mary! I was just uhh...making sure the plumbing worked" Simon said awkwardly, coming out of the bathroom.

Mary took one step backward, eyes still fixed upon the rope as she spoke anxiously, "Why is that rope there?"

Simon gave Mary a confused look and replied, "It's just one of the weapons I brought. I was still doing a bit of unpacking and hadn't found a place to put it yet."

"Are you sure about that?" Mary asked, now standing in the doorway.

"Umm yeah...are you feeling OK? You look flushed." Simon responded, advancing towards Mary.

"Yes, yes, I am fine. Just tired. I think I will go to bed now." Mary muttered before closing the door to Simon's bedroom.

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"Ahh, I feel refreshed." Lauren said, licking the ruby red blood off her lips.

"Next time, do not be so exclusive on whom you chose to feed on, Darling. You will come to see that blood is blood. Yes, all have varying tastes, but you can survive on any." Dracula stipulated as he lifted the carcass and tossed it into the icy waters of the lake. Lauren sighed as she responded, "I know, but that man was a murderer of children...pieces of filth like that do not belong in the world. I just feel better choosing people like that instead of the innocent." Before capturing her lips with his own, Dracula murmured, "Trust me, one day soon, you will not care." Lauren would have responded, but found herself deeply enveloped in Dracula's kiss.

With her hands still firmly placed on Dracula's neck in an embrace, Lauren pulled away, asking, "What are our plans now?"

"We will remain here. I must take care of some unfinished business," Dracula said surprising Lauren as he wrapped his hands around her waist in an effort to pick her up. He continued, "But in the meantime, I want to make up for lost time and express my love for you."

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Mary did not sleep much that night. The manic expression on Simon's face from her dream haunted her. Although she knew it was just a dream, Mary couldn't shake the reality of it all. After a night of staring at the decrepid ceiling design, Mary got up early and decided that she would get ready and venture into the village, inquiring about the "legend of Dracula's castle", to see what the locals had to say about it.

As she was about to walk out of her bedroom, Mary caught a glimpse of herself in the large antique mirror. She stopped and looked at the reflection staring back at her, and received quite a shock. Her usual fair skin had become considerably paler, blue veins visible everywhere. I guess it's just being in this country where its very cold, and the lighting in this room, she told herself. But for some reason, Mary just did not believe that was it.

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Back in London, a woman with flowing red hair was sleeping. She wakes up to hear the telephone on the nightstand beside her bed ringing. She scrambles to answer it, and musters a sleepy "Hello?"

"Hey, baby. Mary and I arrived in Transylvania a few hours ago. We just rested up a bit. How's everything with you?" came the voice on the line.

"Oh. Honestly, I still don't understand what business Carfax needs in Translyvania of all places. I mean, first it's the United States, which is comprehensible, but Translyvania? Simon, I wish you would just let Mary take care of her own affairs. She's a smart girl, she can handle it. Besides, I miss you too much. The bed feels empty without you." Eliza replied.

"I miss you, too. Don't worry, I will be home in a week, and that bed will not feel empty anymore. Reception's kind of bad out here, so I'm going to go. I love you and see you soon." Simon said.

After saying her "I love you byes", Eliza dozed back to sleep. She was once again awakened when the doorbell rang. It's 4AM, who the bloody hell could it be, she thought to herself. She lazily put on a black silken robe and ran to answer the door, yawning all the way there. She opened it to find a very handsome man standing there. His black curly hair was pulled back into a gentlemenly ponytail, and he was dressed in a black suit. Mesmerized by his gorgeous blue-green eyes, Eliza said, "Can I help you?"

"I've locked myself out of my room and I need to use a telephone to call someone, could I use yours?" asked the man, in an accent Eliza couldn't quite place.

Eliza stuttered, "Uh yea-sure, sure that would be fine." opening the door wider for him to enter. "Just wait here and I will go get the phone. Say, what's your name? I don't believe I have seen you on this floor." The man smiled at her and said, "You may call me Drake." Eliza grabbed the phone from the glass nightstand. When she turned around, she came face to face with the man. He was now in her bedroom.

"Uhh he-here you go, D-d-drake" Eliza said, holding out the phone.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a gorgeous body?" Drake whispered, dropping the phone onto the floor.  
"I'm not so sure we should be doing this. I have a boyfriend, and I don't even know you." replied Eliza, terrified, yet intrigued. Drake pushed the robe off her shoulders, revealing Eliza's nude figure, "I know you want to. Just give in." Eliza felt as if she were in a trance, she did want him. As Eliza gave in and Drake covered her neck in kisses, she felt a pinprick of pain. The pinprick soon developed into a plethora, and Eliza screamed. The warm feeling of intoxication came soon after, and she began to feel very tired.

As Dracula drained the last drop of blood from the young woman's body, he said aloud, "The world will be mine again."


End file.
